been saving up some pictures for awhile that make me think of my family!
I am so grateful for each of you and how you have taught, loved, and supported me all these years. we have been through some stormy seasons but I praise Father because I see so clearly how He has used those times to grow us and form us more into the people He wants us to be. I could not have hand-picked a group of people that I would rather share my life with.
I love each of you so much,
court
in honor of my uncle - if only you were here to do the work on my apartment, this flooding of my living room due to faulty installation would have never happened! grateful for your expertise in just about every field, how excited you get about new gadgets, how much work and time you put into researching things for us, how you have such power of influence in our family, and how you have always supported me
to my aunt Kim: in moments like this (which are often), I so wish that you were here to take pictures and laugh with me. you have such an eye for great scrapbooking material and I'm pretty sure this would make the cut because...
#1. the Chinglish on the sign is hilarious (it says, "Tender fragrant grass How hard-hearted to trample them") and
#2. ironically these men have not seemed to notice or care about not following instructions!
miss your jokes and stories that never fail to make me laugh and how authentic/honest you are about your thoughts and feelings. this has taught me a lot about being transparent. you are also great at pursuing, initiating, and have a heart to serve - so thankful for you
to auntie, whose garden would put even the most beautiful, colorful flowers to shame. I appreciate how you have cared for our family and especially how you have faithfully cared for your sister. even though I don't have a blood sister, I have some precious sisters that might as well be blood, and I hope that I can love and connect with them as diligently and purposely as you always have with yours. you are a survivor and a fighter - from breast cancer to the struggles of age - you are an example in perseverance and that everyday is a blessing and is filled with purpose
to my dad, the history buff, war veteran, and one of my most trusted counselors...this is the famous river Kwai. how I would love to bring you here, the battlefields of Germany, and Chicago and DC and just soak up time with you and your knowledge on history and the wisdom that it has brought to your life. your faith challenges me and your steadfastness gives me such a sense of peace and comfort. your story inspires me and reminds me that I have a faithful Redeemer who has power to break our bonds when we trust Him
for the hunting queen, the teacher I most wish I could have had in third grade, and wonderful sister-in-law, Laura! I sure hope that your sheep turns out a bit better than this one from our local museum! :) grateful for you being a part of our lives and how good you and J are together. your joy is contagious and your smile lightens up just about any situation. your creativity is astounding and your heart seems to be way too big to be in that slim body of yours. you're a better shot than pretty much any guy I know and yet have such a tenderness about you...you are a blessing to our whole family
to J, my amazing big bro and the brave fireman. we are all so proud of you and how you worked hard to follow your dreams. you are a hero to a lot of people in RR every C shift but you have been a hero to me for a whole lot longer. stay safe. pretty sure that this fire truck is not quite up to par but I do know that you could still drive it like a pro
in memory of Wadie, the best friend and grandpa a person could ask for....I can still remember how excited he would get when this song would come on the radio and how happy I was to just sit in the backseat during our many adventures and just hear him sing. what I wouldn't give to get to listen to your wisdom, help you open presents, watch baseball and spit sunflower seeds, and talk to you about life once again...betting you would be a little surprised about how and where I ended up but hope you would be proud
when I saw this tree I thought about how wonderful it would be to just hang out on one of the branches for an afternoon and watch the world pass by...and although thailand and throckmorton are in really no way comparable, I remembered Nene's stories of sitting in a mesquite tree with not a care in the world during her younger years and wished so much that she was with me on this day to tell me some more stories and spend the afternoon together eating chocolate, chips, and drinking Dr. Pepper...I cherish your memories that you share with me. I think you are a great friend and listener and I have seen in your life how lifelong friends really are possible. you are resilient and compassionate. I crave your homemade cooking maybe even more than mexican food. I love that you could out-dress and out-accessorize any woman in dallas, and yet you are just as content to wear the clothes you found at the last garage sale you went to. I feel so at peace with you and think you are the best grandma I could have ever been given
to the hunters: JP, Laura, Dave, and occasionally mom! Happy hunting season!
Dave, even though JP already got a big one...I believe the King Deer is going to be yours! appreciate you, your emails, your support, and most of all, your love for mom. Father has used you to bring such healing into her life and into mine. you have such strength...obviously physically but even more so emotionally that calms fears and anxieties. you are always so willing to help and serve others without being prompted because of how much you care. your craftsman skills are incredible and how creatively you can solve just about any problem never ceases to amaze me (case in point, the most recent hunting cot!). you are a truly good man and a blessing to us
and to mom: its a little hard to tell by the picture but this eagle is on the side of a six-story building downtown. there is a big square right beside it and I love going down there and finding a bench and just thinking about you and all the things that Father has brought us through together. it reminds me of how wise and how good He is - He knows how to forgive and heal and redeem. He always works for our good and He has a great plan that we could not imagine. it reminds me to be thankful in the experiences of our lives because they always have a greater purpose than just the pain that we feel. it reminds me that God is faithful, He delivers, He fulfills His promises, and that His word is true
"even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall, but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not grow faint" Isaiah 40:30-31
your words and your hugs give me such life. you are my inspiration and best friend. we will continue to hope in and soar with Him
hope you enjoyed my shoutouts, even if it is only through pictures. be reminded of my love for each of you and my gratitude to Father for His merciful provision to us
